Singapore, the thriving city-state of Southeast Asia, is a popular tourist destination. Known for its rapid urbanization and development, Singapore is home to some of the most fascinating and exciting tourist attractions in the region. Be it thrilling amusement parks, unique cultural attractions, amazing natural sights and parks, or bustling shopping malls, Singapore has pretty much all you need for a memorable vacation. The Heritage Singapore is a luxury residence which is highly recommendable for tourists who wish to stay in a Singapore serviced apartment.
A structure which has long been considered to be the icon or symbol which represents Singapore is the Merlion. The sculpture of the creature that is part lion and part fish, generally spouting a stream of water from its mouth, is widely considered to be ‘the national personification of Singapore’. The Merlion symbolizes Singapore’s heritage and roots, and is thus a landmark which is worth visiting.
The term ‘merlion’ plays on important factors of Singapore’s heritage. The term ‘mer’ means fish or originating from the sea, which is symbolic of how Singapore was predominantly a fishing community many years ago, and the term ‘lion’ is made in reference to the original name given to Singapore, which was ‘Singapura’, which roughly translates to ‘the lion city’. For these reasons, it is evident that the Merlion plays a pivotal role in Singapore’s identity. The Merlion was originally used as the symbol of the Singapore Tourist Board, but soon it became a symbol for Singapore itself. In Singapore there are a total of seven ‘approved’ Merlion statutes, the most famous of which is the 8.6m tall Merlion at the Merlion Park. Other famous Merlions are the 37m tall Merlion at Sentosa, the 2m tall Merlion statute at Tourist Court, and the 3m tall Merlion statue at Faber Point. A visit to Singapore wouldn’t be complete without a visit to its most iconic landmark, so make sure you visit the Singapore Merlion.
Shehera Fioni is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Catalina Forbes. Her content is based on many thrilling escapades offered to travellers across the world. Google+
